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A Volvo's Spacious Boot is Not Meant For.......
…hiding contraband cigarettes, as a Malaysian man found out on 17 Mar 06 at Tuas Checkpoint. He had tried to smuggle 50 cartons of contraband cigarettes by hiding them in the spare tyre compartment found inside the car boot. The 45-year-old man’s smuggling attempt was foiled when an alert officer at the checkpoint uncovered the tyre compartment and found the contraband cigarettes after a thorough check on his car.
2 The man had driven his Malaysian-registered car to Singapore through Tuas Checkpoint at about 0550 hours. He was stopped by a checkpoint officer for a routine check. In the course of checking the car boot, the observant officer noticed that the spare tyre was placed outside the spare tyre compartment. This raised the officer’s suspicions. He proceeded to conduct a thorough check and found 50 cartons of contraband cigarettes in the spare tyre compartment. The driver was immediately placed under arrest and the car seized.
3 The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$3,250 and S$225 respectively. The case has been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, as well as being fined. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded.
4 Being the guardian of Singapore’s checkpoints, ICA is acutely aware that our borders are the first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore’s security against possible terrorist attacks. The increased security checks at all our checkpoints are critical to our nation’s security, especially since terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Singapore. ICA now conducts 100 per cent checks on persons, cargo and conveyances that pass through our checkpoints. These enhanced security checks have been effective in helping to detect cases of smuggling illegal goods and illegal immigrants. In 2005, about 1,600 immigration offenders were arrested at the checkpoints either trying to enter or leave Singapore illegally. ICA also detected about 17,000 cases of contraband-smuggling cases in 2005. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods and persons into and out of Singapore.
2 The man had driven his Malaysian-registered car to Singapore through Tuas Checkpoint at about 0550 hours. He was stopped by a checkpoint officer for a routine check. In the course of checking the car boot, the observant officer noticed that the spare tyre was placed outside the spare tyre compartment. This raised the officer’s suspicions. He proceeded to conduct a thorough check and found 50 cartons of contraband cigarettes in the spare tyre compartment. The driver was immediately placed under arrest and the car seized.
3 The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$3,250 and S$225 respectively. The case has been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, as well as being fined. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded.
4 Being the guardian of Singapore’s checkpoints, ICA is acutely aware that our borders are the first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore’s security against possible terrorist attacks. The increased security checks at all our checkpoints are critical to our nation’s security, especially since terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Singapore. ICA now conducts 100 per cent checks on persons, cargo and conveyances that pass through our checkpoints. These enhanced security checks have been effective in helping to detect cases of smuggling illegal goods and illegal immigrants. In 2005, about 1,600 immigration offenders were arrested at the checkpoints either trying to enter or leave Singapore illegally. ICA also detected about 17,000 cases of contraband-smuggling cases in 2005. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods and persons into and out of Singapore.